Loose leaf binder



June 13, 1939.

LOOSE LEAF' BINDER Filed March 3l, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4/ INVENTOR ,5/ Il 261 22535 /0 BY Q/Ware H`Z6Ir'b8 s TOR/VEP' E. H. ZERBE v` 2,162,153

June 13, 1939. E. H. zERBE LoosE LEAF BINDER Filed March 3l, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVFNTOR BY [dm/Qro /vfZere Patented June 13, 1939 LOOSE LEAF BIND-ER Edward H. Zerbe, Grosse Pointe Park, signor to The Burkhardt Company,

tion of Michigan Mich., asa corpora- Application March 31, 1988, Serial No. 199,148

1 Claim.

This invention relates to loose leaf binders in which a plurality of prongs are utilized for retaining iiller sheets therein.

In angle back prong binders it has been cus- 5 tomary to use at least four prongs, two on each angle of the angle back positioned in staggered relationship to the prongs on the opposite angle back. This requires the use of filler sheets having four holes therein. The general use of ring binders has brought about the use of three hole filler sheets. Obviously, if three prongs were used in prong binders, the sheets impaled in one half of the binder on one prong would be difficult to register with the sheets impaled in the other l5 half of the binder on the other two prongs when closing the binder.

Ring binders are not desirable because of the fact that, when a ring binder is opened, sheets cannot be turned and transferred from one side thereof to the other without removing them from one half of the open rings and re-impaling them on the other half of the open rings.

A step forward in providing a hinged angle back prong binder for use with standard three hole filler sheets was disclosed in the application for patent of Stanley G. Johnson, Serial No. 62,885, filed February 8, 1936, which issued into Patent No. 2,110,366 entitled Loose leaf binder on March 8, 1938, wherein pairs of opposed half round leaf impaling prongs adapted to register with "each other when the binder is partially or fully closed were used. However, when the binder disclosed in Patent No. 2,110,366 is partially opened, the half round leaf impaling prongs on one side present their flat sides and sharp lower edges as guides for the filler sheets impaled thereby with the result that the filler sheets on one side of the binder when partially open are subject to being easily torn out by accident or the apertures therethrough become so enlarged that the said filler sheets present a sloppy and disorderly appearance within the binder.

With the foregoing in view, one object of this invention is to provide a loose leaf binder having all the desirable attributes of ring binders and prong binders combined and which may be constructed at a cost below that of the usual prong binder or ring binder. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a prong binder adapted to impale three hole filler sheets with four prongs and accurately hold the filler sheets with two prongs when the binder is open for engagement by the other two prongs of the binder during the closing thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a (Cl. 12S-17) novel loose leaf binder employing the combination of two round prongs for en three prong b prong binder when partially and two half round leaf gaging three hole filler sheets as a inder when closed and as a four impaling or fully opened.

Another' object of the invention is to provide an angle back prong binder prongs and round prongs a vantage with the rounded sides and the sharp lower e prongs serving as guides for paled thereby.

in which both split re employed to adside and not the flat dges of the half round the filler sheets im- Other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection panying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view part in cross sec with the accomtion and part in end elevation showing a loose leaf binder embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an in closed in Fig. l p covers broken away and sheets removed, a portion o in section to better illustrate Fig. 3 is an inside plan vi ilar to Fig. 2 showin sheets therein.

Fig. 4 is an enlarge on the line @-4 of locked in a closed position.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan device of the binder when in Fig. 6 is a view ositioned o in perspe side plan View of the binder disn its back with the the loose leaf filler f the view being shown the construction.

ew of the binder simg the binder with filler d cross sectional view taken Fig. 2 showing the binder View of the locking a. closed position.

ctive showing the binder with filler sheets therein in its partly open position.

Fig. 7 is a v1ew in perspective showing the binder with filler sheets ther position.

Referring now to the ein in its fully open drawings wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the embodiment of the invention disclosed there leaf binder in which two hinged together along the thereof around a hinge pin I2.

angles I8 and II. However,

in comprises a loose angles I6 and Il are center of the back The upstanding are preferably pro- I4 on angle I0 and I6 on angle II, the said end ably formed integral with the the said end pieces may be formed separate from the said angles of the angle back. and secured thereto in any able manner.

suitl The pairs of end pieces I3 andl'o', and the pairs of end pieces I4 and IG, cooperate with each other to form a closure at the ends of The upstanding leg of each of the anglesIIJ,

and II of the angle back of the prong binder disclosed in the drawings is preferably provided with one round prong I8 projecting therefrom near one end thereof and a half round prong I9 projecting therefrom at the center thereof. The said half round prongs I9 are oppositely disposed with respect to each other and are arcuately formed in such a manner that when the binder is partially, or fully closed the said prongs I9 cooperate with each other and form a ring as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6. VEach round prong I8 is located in spaced relationship from thei flat side of the half round prong I9 projecting from the same angle of the angle back of the binder from which the round prong projects a distance equal to the spacing of the center and extreme punched holes 29 in the filler sheets 2| asbest shown in Figs. 2 3, 6 and 7. The said round prongs VI8 are formed to the same arc as the said half round prongs I9 whereby to permit the filler sheets 2| impaled thereby to be engaged by Aboth round prongs I'and both half round prongs I9 without wrinkling or bulging. w f

The'upstanding legs of the'angles I0 and II are preferably provided with a plurality of substantially. frusto-conical shaped depressions 22 which have'suitable other than round apertures punched infthe'bas'e thereof through which thesuitably i shouldered other than round heel ofthe prongs I8 and I9 Y'are positioned and headed as best indicated ln Figs. Zand 4, the shoulder123 andhead V Q Y lNofvthesaid VprongsV I8 Vand I9 tightlyV gripping the metal at'the base of depressions 22.

the said frusto-conical Although theprongs I8 and I9 y and described as riveted to the said angles I and II of the angle back of the binder, it is obvious that the said prongs may be welded or otherwise secured to the said angles I0 have been' shown The frusto-conical depressions 22 are provided in the'upstanding legs of the angles IIJ and II to provide recesses forV the shoulders 23 of the prongs I8 and I9 whereby tofavoid loss in capacity of the binder due to the thickness of the said shoulders 23 of the prongsV I8 and I9. The upstandinglegs of the'angles I0 and II are each provided with a suitable aperture 25 therethrough disposed opposite the end of each round prong I8 for receiving the end of the round prongsv I8 as best indicated in Fig. 4 to prevent filler sheets 2| from becoming Vdisirnpaled when 'the binder is closed,

'I'he novel loose leaf binder disclosed herein may be provided with anyV suitable locking device to'lock the angles I0 and II of the angle back thereof in a. closed or partially opened position. The applicant prefers to use a locking device Ysimilar'rto the locking mechanism disclosed and claimed in the application forrpatent of Stanley G. Johnson, Serial No. 62,885, filed February 8,.;

1936,V which issued into Patent No. 2,110,366 entitledLoose leaf binder on March-8, 1938. Y

Referring now particularly to Figs'. 2, 3. 4 and 5,

the said Ylocking device comprisesV a locking lever 26 having locking Yfinger. 21,an operating key piece'IlI of the angle binder is being opened and closed.

spring 3| coiled around the rivet 30 has one end the other end of the 28 and an inverted U-shaped central portion 29 through which a rivet 370 is positioned for securing the said locking lever 26 in pivotal relationship to the end piece I6 of the angle I I. The said U-shaped central portion 29 of the said locking lever 26 bridges over or straddles the end piece I6 in such amlanner that a spring 3| coiled around `the rivet 30 maintains the locking finger 21 of the said locking lever 25 in sufficient spaced relationship to the end piece I 6 as to permit the end to rotate between the said the end piece I6 when the The 'said locking finger 21 and thereof retained in a fixed position against the hinge legvof. the angle I I between an inwardly disposed tab'V 32 struck up from the said hinge leg of the angle II and the end piece I6 thereof, while said spring 3| constantly urges the locking lever 26 to rotate toward its locked position by means of constant pressure exerted bythe said spring 3| against the bottom of the horizontally disposed operating key 28 of the said locking lever 26. A suitably disposed ratchet typedetent 33 secured tothe angle I 0 or end piece I4 thereof is Vengaged by the locking finger 21 as the binder is' closed from the position shown in Fig. 7 to the positions shown in Figs. 6 and 4. When closing the-binder the locking finger 21 of the locking lever 26 acts as a pawl or click riding over the ratchet type detent 33. Obviously, any number of ratchet teeth may be used inthe detent 33 in order to provide a like number of partially opened positions of the binder.

The cover assembly comprises front and back covers 34 and 35 respectively and the U-shaped backV I1 Which-aresecured-in the proper relationship to the metal anglefback of the loose leaf binder disclosed herein by rmeans of rivets 36 Yextending through the upstanding legs of the anglesy of the said angle back.V 'I'he top and'f' Vbottom sides of the U-'shaped back I1" are each provided With a binder board filler strip 31 and n I0 and II a securing strip 38 `preferably of pressed fiber v board. The said fille-r strip 31'has suitably spacedV apertures 39therethrough for receiving the protuberances on the outside ofthe upstanding legs of angles I0 and I I and the head 24 formed on the butt end of the prongs I8 and I9, thereby permitting the said filler strip-31 and securing Vstrip 38 Vto besecured to the said metal angle back-in K parallel relationship thereto.

The'center of the said U-shaped back I1 is preferably notchedvon the inside thereof 'asf indicated by the numeral 40 in Figs. 1 and 4 to pershaped back I1 when the-binder is partially or fully opened as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7. Each Y andthe 'round kside of one of the half round prongs I9 when' .the binder is partially or Vfully opened. The sharp edge ofthe half round prong VI9 cannot possibly cut the filler sheets becausein 34 and 35 respectively( VInit sharp central concave flexing of the said VU- no case does the sharp edge of the half round prongs I9 serve as a retainer or guide for the said filler sheets 2|.

It is obvious that the three hole ller sheets may be quickly impaled on one round prong and one half round prong and that the said filler sheets, once impaled, may be readily turned from one side of the binder to the other as in a ring binder because the said ller sheets are accurately guided at all times. The binder may be used in a partially opened position as shown in Fig. 6 and the ller sheets may be turned Without dismpaling and reimpaling them which is not possible in ring binders. Obviously, when in a partially opened and open position, the novel binder disclosed herein has all of the beneficial attributes of both ring and prong binders without the inherent disadvantages of them. It is very easy to impale sheets in the novel binder disclosed inasmuch as only two holes of the three hole ller sheets need be slipped over impaling prongs.

Although the novel loose leaf binder has been shown and described as one which is specially desirable for us in binding three hole ller sheets, any number of prongs may be used in connection with a single pair of cooperating opposed hall` prongs for obtaining like advantageous results.

Although but one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in detail, it will be understood that various changes including the size, shape, arrangement and detail of the parts thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention other than by the terms of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a hinged angle back loose leaf binder having a plurality of leaf impaling prongs projecting from the upstanding legs of the angles of the angle back thereof adapted for use with filler sheets having three impaling apertures therethrough, the combination of a pair of centrally disposed opposed arcuate half round leaf impaling prongs adapted to register with each other and with the central sheet aperture When the binder is partially or fully closedand one arcuate round leaf impaling prong projecting from each angle of the said angle back spaced laterally from the at face of each of the said half round prongs to engage the corresponding end sheet aperture.

vEDWARD H. ZERBE. 

